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The shadow Eleanor would have kissed his palat his protests, her fingers trailing over the strong column of his throat
The real Eleanor just closed her lips tightly
"I didn’t understand that you were like food and drink I never iined that the attentions I--I silently chided you for would becoed for That without your desire I would shrivel into a nize, atoI saw you so many times after you ht--I feared--"
"She understood I used to talk of you sometimes"
"You didn’t!"
"She had no interest in marital relations," he said "None If I was trapped by my father’s will, she was equally trapped"
"You never made love?"
"A few tih It made her uncomfortable and unhappy She didn’t enjoy it in the least" His hands tightened convulsively on hers "After a while all I could think about was you, and the way you welcomed me, desired me Of you, and what I threay"
Eleanor took a deep breath "I’s--"
"There aren’t many women like you," he interrupted "Do you know that, Eleanor? Do you understand how life-giving, how important, you are to a man? I would kiss you now," he said, his eyes fierce, intent "I would sweep you into my arms and carry you to that bed, if it were honorable, Eleanor You know that, don’t you?"
"Well--" she said, startled
"In fact, thefrorasp," he said hoarsely "Ada knew, after all What’s a scandal between you and me? We--"
"No," she said firmly "Gideon, you have to leave at dawn and continue your journey to Ada’s great-aunt"
"But I’ll return to you," he said, his voice full of longing "You can’t stay here, with Villiers"
"I’ Lisette, not the duke"
"I saw the way he looked at you"
"Villiers isLisette"
Gideon snorted
Eleanor blinked "Did you say so?"
"The Duke of Villiers has finally found the one wo bold and prideful in his voice that froze the words in her mouth "He will have to live without you"
"As I said, he plans totoward the door "Now I reallyday"
"I would kiss you," he said,after her "But I wouldn’t be able to stop And I know you couldn’t So I’ood for both of us"
Eleanor sed "I’ the door
It was all she’d dreamed of for years He leaned toward her, his beautifully-shapednear hers "Askme to stay I can’t say no to you I never could say no to you"
The shadow Eleanor would have pleaded with hi hiony